Fishermen often wear waders when wading into streams and rivers. Typically, waders have either an attached boot or a stocking foot that fits into a boot. Waders can extend as high as the fisherman's hips, waist or chest, and the choice depends, of course, on the water depth the fisherman expects to encounter. Simms Fishing Products, Corporation is a leading manufacturer and supplier of both booted and stocking foot waders.
Booted waders offer the obvious advantage of not having to purchase or transport boots. However, a booted wader has some disadvantages. For example, the fisherman may want to wear a different type of boot depending on the type of river or streambed he expects to encounter.
Fishermen often use felt-soled boots when fishing in rivers or streams with slippery, algae-covered rocks or boulders because they provide greater traction on such slippery surfaces. In other situations, the fisherman may elect to wear a treaded-boot when fishing in a pebbled or muddy streambed. Thus, to be prepared for any fishing situation, the fisherman may have to purchase and carry more than one pair of booted waders having different boot soles to accommodate different streambeds.
In contrast to booted waders, stocking foot waders, which include hip waders, chest-high waders and waist-high waders, are commonly used when it is desirable to provide flexibility in selecting the type of boot the fisherman wants or needs for a particular situation. Thus, a fisherman may carry both a felt-soled boot and a treaded boot to be ready for any streambed condition. Stocking foot waders provide this flexibility in contrast to booted waders. However, stocking foot waders may present the fisherman with additional challenges.
When using a stocking foot wader in rushing water, such as that normally found in streams and rivers, it is desirable to provide a gravel guard that covers the opening between the wader and the boot to keep gravel and stones out of the boot. Gravel guards are often available as separate articles that are placed over the top end of the boot to cover the boot opening. Gravel guards also can be integrated with the wader.
However, the manufacture of an effective, integrated gravel guard can be a complicated process. Of course, the more complicated the process, the more expensive the wader to the consumer. Thus, there is a need for a foot-covering component of a stocking foot wader with an effective, integrated gravel guard that can be efficiently manufactured to prevent a dramatic increase in the cost of manufacturing the wader.